Photography & travel

ITALY – Puglia – Ostuni

For the best reading experience, please go to the first blog post about Puglia. ‘If you go to Puglia, you should definitely visit Ostuni, la città bianca’. Famous words from our Italian neighbour.Looking back, it’s not just Ostuni that’s white, but most of the villages we visited. Every year, the municipality requires the residents of Ostuni to whitewash their houses. And that’s not the case everywhere.As the village is located on a hill, you can see it shining in the sun from afar. Here, too, there are numerous charming alleys and after every corner there is a surprise waiting for …

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ITALY – Puglia – Polignano a mare – Monopoli

Do you like singing? Or do you like diving?I know the place where you can combine them all, Polignano a Mare. Here, you can experience it all, carried by the wind.It was actually by coincidence that we saw the statue of singer Domenico Modugno, winner of the Festival di Sanremo in 1958. Just following our instincts, curiosity and a group of Belgian tourists led us towards the sea. And then suddenly you see people with arms open wide shouting “Volare” in front of a statue. Taking the steps down to the rocky terrace gives you a perfect view over the …

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ITALY – Puglia – Alberobello

Is Alberobello an architectural gem or a hype? In any case, this village has also been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, like so many other places in Italy. There are various theories as to why these typical houses were built in this way. One of them resonates with me because of its simplicity and logic. While working their fields, the farmers regularly encountered rocks in the ground. Because they did not feel like moving them anywhere, they used them to build low walls around their land. As more stones were surfacing, they were stacked in circular shapes that …

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ITALY – Puglia – Martina Franca – Locorotondo

Nowadays, Andrea Roggi’s bronze sculptures can be seen popping up all over Puglia. And in Martina Franca, his works are present in abundance. Turns out we would see more of his works in Locorotondo and Cisternino.We first saw his work in a gallery in Moltepulciano in 2017. Often, it is an organic globe with an olive tree or tree of life on top, inspired by nature, letting olive branches grow out of love.The tree trunks are human figures, entwined in an intimate embrace. Their arms raised towards the sky grow into magnificent olive tree branches, while their roots reach deep …

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ITALY – Puglia – Grottaglie

I not often write about the hotels or B&Bs where we stay. They are usually pleasant places, but sometimes there is one that really stands out. Like Antica Masseria Le Monache. Rarely have we been welcomed so warmly and with such wonderful smiles. The two owners, Anthony and Andrea, are lovely.It didn’t take long before we were sitting in the evening sun enjoying a delicious glass of local white wine. Anthony is the perfect host and a morning person who takes care of breakfast, while Andrea is the kitchen prince.They are a cheerful duo who have really put their heart …

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ITALY – Puglia – Taranto

Our next stop was Grottaglie. But before we got there, we wanted to visit Taranto first. We took the coastal road from Gallipoli, passing the Porto Selvaggio e Palude del Capitano nature park, part of which was on fire, Porto Cesareo, Punta Prosciutto and Mandurio. We arrived mid after noon. It’s only 100 km, but because we took the scenic route, it quickly turned into a 3,5-hour drive. But it was worth it, and besides, it’s our holiday. Taranto consists of two parts. There is the new part and the old historic centre, which is actually a small island (0,31km2 …

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ITALY – Puglia – Lecce

Lecce is sometimes referred to as the Florence of the South.I can see why. Of course, it is not Florence, but it does have a certain charm. Lecce is also smaller, but it has equally beautiful squares and Baroque architecture. The old town is particularly beautiful. The basilica, the Roman theatre, Palazzo dei Celestini, the charming alleys and terraces. Here too, they seem to be suffering from overtourism, just like in Rome, Barcelona, Pisa, etc.Of course, we are also a small part of the problem. But we travel independently and are no ‘cruise tourists’ who only visit the planned or …

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